Portugal's Head of State advises - don't emigrate, go work on a farm

strawberryPortugal's Head of State was sure of photo opportunities down on the farm today as he visited Tavira, conveniently close to his holiday home in Aldeia da Coelha, Albufeira.

Cavaco Silva took the opportunity of a series of farm visits across the Algarve to encourage young unemployed people to go and work on farms for a bit of experience rather than emigrate - and risk getting a job in tune with what they have been studying.

Wi-fi warning

wifiFree wi-fi hotspots can be a danger to personal data.

The warning came from Europol which said that sensitive information should not be sent in public wi-fi hotspots because it could be accessed by hackers.

Algarve Hospitals management rejects life-saving equipment

diverA clear lack of interest from the current administration of the Hospitals of the Algarve Group, despite having an agreement in place to have this life-saving equipment installed, has enabled the Hospital Particular in Alvor to step in and accept a new Hyperbaric Chamber.

Hyperbaric chambers, also called decompression chambers or recompression chambers are sealed chamber in which a high-pressure environment is used primarily to treat decompression sickness in divers, gas embolisms, carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene resulting from infection by anaerobic bacteria, tissue injury arising from radiation therapy for cancer and wounds that are difficult to heal.

The service was destined to be opened at Portimão Hospital but now the equipment is being installed in the Hospital Particular do Algarve.

UK house prices jump again

cottageThe price of houses in the UK experienced the biggest monthly increase in five years when growth of 2.4% took place in February.

Analysts had predicted an increase of 0.7%, so the figure caused heads to lift, with one warning that prices are “approaching madness”.

The average house price in the UK is now £179,872.

Expats turn smugglers

bakedbeansExpats enjoy a bit of food smuggling, especially when it comes to sausages and bakes beans.

Almost two thirds of people who have second homes outside the UK admit they have secreted away different food items to enjoy whilst abroad, according to a new survey.

IKEA injunction dismissed

ikea2The Administrative and Fiscal Court in Loulé has dismissed the injunction lodged by four business associations that aimed to halt the IKEA development near Loulé.

The plaintiffs, the Association of Hotels and Resorts in the Algarve (AHETA), the Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE/Algarve), the Traders Association of the Algarve Region (ACRAL) and the Business Association of Quarteira and Vilamoura - as well as some individuals, have decided to go to the Court of Appeal on environmental grounds.

Lagoa - 12,000 locals without a doctor

barlaventohospitalThe socialist party in Lagoa has accused the Government of inaction on carrying out its health policies, referring to the worrysome plight of Lagoa residents, many oif whom are without a family doctor, and things are set to get worse as the summertime increase in population will add 200,000 tourists and part time residents to the list.

According to estimates used by the socialists to highlight the plight of the local population, "there are already about 6,000 users without medical cover in Ferragudo, Carvoeiro, Estômbar, Parchal and Porches, with only 56.8% of users on the civil register having medical cover from a doctor, therefore there are around 12,000 users without a doctor."

Portugal's Doctors avoid the Algarve

anaestheticsVacancies, are being advertised, plenty of them, but Portugal’s doctors are avoiding the Algarve by taking jobs in the big cities or moving away from the country.

The head of urology at Faro Hospital said that the lack of anaesthetists is generating a reduction of 40% in scheduled operations in this area. In Portimão for those patients waiting for operations the excuse is always the same – no doctors.